A Life Less Wonderful
by The 18th Angel
Summary: In 2001, Kamui returns to Tokyo once again. He's just in time for the holidays, but in no mood to celebrate. And there is a Tree involved....But it's not a Christmas Tree.
1. The First Day

Legal Stuff: I don't own X/1999. It belongs to CLAMP. I'm just messing around with it for a while, but I promise not to hurt it.

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WARNING: NO YAOI AHEAD. I'll repeat that. This story does not contain Yaoi or Shounen-Ai. Well there may be a little bit of remembered Shounen-Ai; after all I am a firm believer that Seishirou and Subaru were in love (it's just too bad they hated each other so much). However, since Seishirou is dead now, don't expect to see any yaoi action. And no, I don't think there's anything like that between Subaru and Kamui now that Seishirou's gone. Sorry, but I don't. Anyway, if you are offended by descriptions of heterosexual relationships, please turn back now.

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A Life Less Wonderful

by 18th Angel

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The First Day 

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December 19, 2001

Tokyo

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      Sorata Arisugawa awoke early, as always. The sun was just beginning to show its face, casting a friendly orange glow over the bedroom. He stayed in bed for a moment, just enjoying the warmth of the sun on his face. Then, carefully so as not to wake his sleeping wife, he got up and headed for the bathroom.

*   *   *   *   * 

      Retrieving the morning paper involved walking through a thin layer of snow that covered the sidewalk in front of his house. Sorata could have floated over the snow effortlessly, or even melted it if he wanted to. But one of his main goals in life for the past two years had been to use his powers as little as possible. He wanted to have as normal a life as he could; and normal people had to put up with cold, wet feet when they got the paper on a snowy morning.

      The main headline proclaimed that the city council had approved funding for a memorial to honor those who had lost their lives in the disasters of 1999. That was nice of them. Sorata set the paper down and began puttering around the kitchen trying to decide what to cook.

      After a few minutes he heard footsteps behind him. "You were supposed to stay in bed." He said. "Now I can't be dramatic."

      "You had something dramatic in mind?" Arashi asked.

      Sorata turned to face her. "Well it _is_ our first anniversary." He said. "I thought breakfast in bed was in order."

      Arashi smiled and leaned up to kiss her husband. "That's really sweet. Thanks."

      "Tell you what;" Sorata said. "You go grab a shower, and I'll have a breakfast fit for a queen ready when you get out."

      "Sounds good." With another quick kiss, Arashi left the kitchen, heading for the bathroom.

      Sorata stood and watched her until she passed out of sight into the bedroom. As so often happened, he was struck speechless by her beauty, and by the fact that they were together at all. He had fallen in love the day he met Arashi. But despite that, or rather, _because_ of that, he hadn't thought he would ever be able to spend his life with her. After all, he was destined to die for the woman he loved.

      Sorata smiled. That was the funny thing about prophecies; they had a tendency not to tell you everything. He had died, all right. He just hadn't stayed dead. Yuuto Kigai, one of the Seven Harbingers, had crushed him under a thousand gallons of water on the Appointed Day in 1999, an attack intended for Arashi until Sorata got in its way. The assault pushed him so near to death's door that his Psychic Barrier collapsed, demolishing yet another section of Tokyo and leaving Sorata hovering precariously somewhere between life and death. Yuzuriha said that Yuuto was himself killed moments later by Fuuma, but Sorata certainly hadn't seen it so he would have to take her word for it. 

      In any case, Arashi had dragged Sorata to the nearest hospital and somehow managed to get him in past the throngs of wounded and dying in the city. The doctors had been understandably perplexed at how Sorata could be half-drowned in addition to all his injuries, but they had done their jobs well, pulling him back into the land of the living. When he awoke, three days later, the battle was over. The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was Arashi's pretty face looking down at him. They had been together ever since.

      If the doctors had been puzzled by Sorata's bizarre injuries, they were completely baffled by the fits of laughter he and Arashi fell into when they told him the news: He had died on the operating table. He had been clinically dead for three minutes before the doctors managed to resuscitate him.

      He asked Arashi to marry him the very next day. She had refused at first, saying that it was too soon. That they needed to take some time to recover from everything that had happened. She was right, they couldn't have had the joyful wedding day they eventually did so soon after losing so many of their friends. The world had not perished on the Promised Day, but neither had the Dragons of Heaven escaped unharmed. 

      Seiichiro had given his life to destroy Nataku. He had grabbed the bio-engineered killer and leaped off the Sunshine 60, driving them both through a highway overpass to their deaths. Karen was killed by Fuuma. A Dragon of Heaven to the very end, she was still throwing fire at the Dark Kamui even as he cruelly thrust his Sacred Sword into her breast. Likewise, their guide and mentor Hinoto had met her end on the tip of Fuuma's sword, as had her attendants, Sohi and Hien, trying valiantly to protect their Princess. Even their friend Keiichi had been mercilessly slaughtered by the Harbingers' insane leader.

      When all was said and done, only five of the Seven Seals remained. Sorata had been overjoyed when Yuzuriha came to visit him in the hospital. The youngest Dragon of Heaven had come through the final battle completely unharmed, though she was either unwilling or unable to tell them _how_ she had survived. He and Arashi were still alive, of course. Subaru had resumed his duties as head of the Sumeragi Clan. And then there was Kamui...

      Somewhere in his reminiscing, Sorata had managed to cook breakfast. Good thing too, as Arashi came back into the kitchen a moment later. 

      "Breakfast is served, my love."

*   *   *   *   *

      "Sleep well?" Sorata asked as they ate breakfast.

      "Better." Arashi said noncommittally. Lately she had been having trouble sleeping.

      "No...bad dreams?" Right after the final battle in 1999, Arashi had suffered from horrible nightmares, a trend which lasted well into 2000. And although she would never say so, Sorata suspected that it was starting again.

      "Actually, I had a wonderful dream." Arashi said with a smile.

      "Really?" She nodded. "Anything in the kinky-but-tasteful fantasy variety?" He asked with a grin.

      "No." She laughed. "Nothing like that."

      "Well may I ask what this wonderful dream was, then?" Sorata asked.

      Arashi smiled again. "Kamui came to see us."

*   *   *   *   *

      The Clamp Campus was a noisy place around lunchtime, even more so the day before Christmas break began. The cafeteria always filled up quickly so most people just took their lunches outside to eat. Yuzuriha Nekoi was one of those people. Every day, she sat alone under the same tree, as if daring anyone to get near her. It wasn't that Yuzuriha was unfriendly, far from it. But there was a sadness about her that drove others away. 

      Part of her was sad that, in her three years at the Clamp School, she hadn't really made any lasting friendships with any of her classmates. But she did have friends. She visited Arashi and Sorata as often as she could. And she saw Subaru every now and then. Besides, she was never really alone. She had Inuki, her faithful wolf-spirit, her constant, devoted companion. 

      So it wasn't loneliness that troubled Yuzuriha. It was another kind of sadness. The kind of heartache that came from carrying a secret for so long that, even were she to decide to tell someone, it was too late. She knew that her friends wondered and worried about her. Subaru in particular had tried to get her to open up about her experiences on the Promised Day, but she couldn't.

      She had lost a friend that day. That was nothing special or unique, of course. Everyone in Tokyo had lost somebody. But she couldn't openly grieve for him as she had for her friends among the Dragons of Heaven. His name was Shiyuu Kusanagi, and he was a Dragon of the Earth.

      But he hadn't been a bad guy. He was friendly, and honest, and caring. In a way, she had been in love with him. And fate had been irredeemably cruel in forcing them to be enemies. In the final battle, on the Promised Day, Yuzuriha had found herself faced with the prospect of fighting Shiyuu. But he refused to fight her, the last thing he ever did. Insane and out of control, Fuuma had taken violent exception to Shiyuu's refusal to kill Yuzuriha. 

      Rather than kill him quickly with the Sacred Sword, Fuuma chose instead to slowly tear her friend apart with telekinesis while she watched, unable to save him. She had often wondered in the days that followed why Fuuma didn't just destroy her as well. She certainly couldn't have stopped him. She finally decided that it was the madman's ultimate gesture of contempt for her; his way of saying that she wasn't worth the time it would take to kill her.

      That was what she couldn't tell the others. It wasn't that she had been in love with one of the Seven Harbingers, there was no shame in that. But to have been so powerless that she wasn't even worth killing... She couldn't bear letting them know that she had survived the final battle only because she had been deemed too weak to affect the outcome. 

      In the years that followed, Yuzuriha had tried to put the past behind her. She had survived the end of the world. She had just started college. She was supposed to be happy. But she wasn't. And now the past was banging down her door, trying to force its way back into her mind. 

      She kept having dreams, the kind of visions of apocalyptic destruction that had preceded the Appointed Day. She couldn't help wondering why. They had averted the apocalypse. Why was she dreaming of a future that would never come to pass? Perhaps the last dream explained it. Last night, she had seen only one image. A friend she hadn't seen since 1999. It could only mean one thing.

      "He's coming, Inuki." She whispered. The wolf-spirit looked up at her and whined softly. Yuzuriha smiled and scratched Inuki lightly between the ears. "Kamui's coming back."

*   *   *   *   *

      Across town, a man sat alone, deep in meditation. He sat motionless, his fingers laced with only his index fingers extended. His breath rose and fell with a steady rhythm that would have made a machine envious. It was entirely possible that the young man did not even feel the heat of the large fire that burned before him. His entire being was focused inward. 

      Subaru Sumeragi floated high above the city of Tokyo. He didn't kid himself that he was any kind of Dreamseer, but on occasion, if he focused enough on his meditation, he could catch glimpses of possible futures. Now he floated, desperately trying to pierce the veil that obscured the future, to see what lay in store.

      He had his suspicions; had carried them for some time now. But he needed confirmation. He was peering into the future to see if his suspicions were correct. But one image asserted itself, blocking out everything else, making it impossible to see anything. 

      Finally, Subaru gave up. He stood, his legs stiff from sitting still for so long, and walked outside. He had been meditating since mid-morning. In a few hours night would fall, the sun was already beginning to sink.

      "Tonight." Subaru said to himself. "He'll be here tonight."

      He had only seen one thing clearly in all his recent attempts at divination. Kamui was coming back. He could only guess at the force that drew Kamui back to Tokyo, but he was very near. He would reach the city by nightfall. 

      "If he's the one...then I must find him." Subaru whispered, casting a glance to the sinking orb of light in the western sky. "I must reach him...Before It does."

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      The city hadn't changed at all. The mass destruction of 1999 had been repaired long ago. In every way, Tokyo looked just the way it had the last time he had returned to the city. From high above, the crowded streets looked tiny. With windows glowing in the moonless night, the field of stars below him went perfectly with the one above him. 

      Carried on the wind, a cloud of sakura petals floated by. Out of habit, Kamui reached out and grabbed one of the dancing petals. He held the tiny petal in his fist for a moment before releasing it to join its brothers and sisters.

      In the distance, the Tower glowed brightly as ever. Kamui looked away as soon as his eyes fell on that hateful spire. Tokyo Tower was celebrated throughout Tokyo as the only major landmark to survive the devastation of 1999. But Kamui hated it. He always would. That was why he stood here, on the edge of the rebuilt Sunshine 60, instead of atop the Tower. He had vowed never to go near Tokyo Tower again. He would certainly never assume his perch on the tower's highest weather vane again. Just looking at Tokyo Tower dredged up too many painful memories. Actually standing on the tower would undoubtedly be more than he could bear.

      "Why am I here?" Kamui wondered aloud. He had decided in 1999 that he would never return to Tokyo again as long as he lived. He had left the cursed city before the dust of battle had even cleared. 

      Arashi had begged him to stay, at least long enough to say goodbye to Sorata. But Kamui couldn't bear to be there anymore. Everything he had come to Tokyo to do, he had failed to accomplish. Kotori had died; he hadn't been able to protect her. He couldn't protect Fuuma either. He had been forced to kill his best friend. There was nothing left for him here.

      "So why am I back?"

      _Go to Tokyo Kamui. Your destiny waits..._

      "I did what you said mother." Kamui whispered. "My destiny was here. But it's come and gone. That part of my life is over. Why do I keep being drawn back?"

      Taking a deep breath, Kamui stepped to the edge of the building and leapt off. Halfway down, he changed his mind, activated his powers, and floated gently the rest of the way to the ground. He could almost hear a voice far away, laughing at him. _You don't get off that easy, Kamui._

      He sighed. He had been called back to Tokyo for a reason, and it probably wasn't to commit suicide. He could have done that in Kyoto, after all. He had to find out why he was here. The sooner he did that...the sooner he could leave again.

*   *   *   *   *  
TBC  
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Author's Notes:

      -**On why I'm writing this story**: Basically my muse is a sadistic bitch. She adamantly refuses to provide inspiration on any of my current fics and instead just keeps putting new ideas into my head. I think she's trying to break my brain. In this case, I was reading a lot of 'X' so there you have it.

      -**On the impossibility of writing this story**: Have you ever tried to write something that happens after all the major events in a story that isn't finished yet? In this case, the really major event hasn't even happened yet. I had to make up most of what happened on the Promised Day in 1999. Some I took from the movie, the rest I just made up on the fly.

      -**On figuring out how old people are**: Almost everything here is based on a single line from Volume 1 of the Manga. Sorata says that if he dies and his psychic barrier collapses, the entire area will be destroyed, perhaps today (and here's the key) "Or maybe three years from now...on the Promised Day in 1999" This indicates that the story begins in 1996. I then used everyone's oldest estimated age (or exact age in cases where it is said) and counted up to see how old they are in 2001. It took some doing, but I consider it worth the effort.

      -**On the Clamp Campus**: Here's a confession, X is the only Clamp series I've really seen any significant portion of. I knew that the Clamp Campus existed in the 'X Universe' and, needing a reason for Yuzuriha to still be in Tokyo, decided she would go there for the rest of her education. According to several websites dedicated to the various series' that focused entirely on the School, it goes all the way up to the college level. Therefore, Yuzuriha is a freshman in college, attending and living at the Clamp School. If my info on the school is wrong...well then I'm sorry. It's too late to change it now.


	2. The Second Day

Legal Stuff: If I owned X/1999, I would never have let them replace Kakyou with Shogo Asagi in the Movie. Not that I don't like Shogo, it's just... Well I don't have time to go into it here.

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Author's Note: Congratulations, you are reading the first post in which I am identifying myself as THE 18th Angel (as opposed to the much less pompous '18th Angel'.) This change was forced upon me by FF.net when they insisted that all author names started with letters instead of numbers. (Let me tell you how long I searched for my author page before I realized that I had suddenly become 'th Angel'. Anyway that was just my personal rant. Carry on.

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A Life Less Wonderful 

**by The 18th Angel**

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The Second Day

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December 20, 2001

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      The two vacant lots stood side by side. Even with all the rebuilding in the city, these two lots still held only the burned-out skeletons of houses. The faint, smoky scent of burnt timbers still hung in the air. A light snow drifted from the dreary gray sky, covering the black ashes on the ground with a layer of pure white.

      Behind him, Kamui heard the faint sound of snow crunching beneath someone's foot. He spun around and came face to face with three tall men in identical black suits and sunglasses. 

      Kamui didn't wait for the men in black to make their move. He leaped into the air, building up his power. The three men tried to track his movements, but before they could even lift their heads, Kamui sent a wave of psychic force crashing down on them. 

      The pavement below cracked and buckled as the psychic attack slammed into the men. The intense heat set his attackers on fire, burning them to death. The three men vanished as they died, leaving behind three charred strips of paper.

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      Rai Matsudera opened his eyes and unclasped his hands. 

      "Well Rai?" His companion asked.

      Rai turned to face the chamber's other occupant. "He wiped them out, just as you predicted. I must admit, even after everything you said, I never imagined Kamui would be so powerful."

      "Are you having second thoughts?"

      "Would I make it out of here alive if I said 'yes'?" 

      A cold smile was his only answer. 

      "Kamui doesn't frighten me." Rai said. 

      "Not like we frighten you?"

      "When did I say that you frighten me?"

      "You did not have to. We read it in your vocal patterns."

      Rai chuckled softly. "A woman of many talents."

      With a disgusting, wet, slurping sound, hundreds of wires disconnected from of his companion's skin and slithered back into the giant machine behind her. Freed from her restraints, Satsuki leaped down off her padded seat to stand next to him.

      "If you are not up to this task, Rai, there are others who would be more than willing."

      "Not at all." Rai gave her his most charming smile. When she wasn't attached to the BEAST, Satsuki wasn't so intimidating. Actually, she was quite attractive. Perhaps if he played his cards right, this could become more than a business relationship. He took her chin gently in his hand and leaned in closer. "I'll take care of your little Kamui problem. I can't resist the request of such a lovely young woman after all."

      "Save it." Satsuki said, pulling away.

      _I should have known._ Rai thought. _She really is in love with that computer._ He sighed softly.

      "Well either way, I'll do my job. As long as you and BEAST keep up your end of the deal."

      Satsuki grinned, caressing the giant computer's metal base like...well, like a lover. "Don't worry Mr. Matsudera." She said. "Kill Kamui, and you may consider all of our resources at your disposal."

*   *   *   *   *

      "Figures." Kamui muttered, grabbing one of the paper talismans as it floated past him. The burned paper crumbled to ash as soon as he touched it. Kamui sighed and brushed the ashes off his hands. It seemed that Curse Zombies were the official Tokyo welcoming committee. He couldn't spend a day in the city without running into them. 

      "You haven't changed at all."

      Kamui turned at the new voice, already preparing another attack.

      "You're not really going to kill me, are you?" Subaru asked.

      Kamui took a moment to calm down before greeting his old friend. "Can't be too careful these days." He said.

      "You call _that_ careful?" Subaru raised an eyebrow, indicating the demolished street behind Kamui. "You never heard of a Psychic Barrier?"

      Kamui shrugged. "Didn't have time."

      Subaru shook his head, an amused look on his face. "Come on." He said. "We need to talk."

*   *   *   *   *

      Subaru led Kamui to a small restaurant a few blocks down from the ruins of his childhood home. They took a booth near the back, where Subaru ordered breakfast for himself and Kamui.

      "You're hungry, right?"

      Kamui shrugged.

      They were both silent until the food came. They ate in silence as well. It turned out Kamui was very hungry. When they were both finished, Subaru finally spoke up.

      "Any idea who attacked you?"

      Kamui shook his head. "Someone strong." He said. "Strong enough to summon Curse Zombies."

      "But who would want to attack you?" Subaru wondered aloud.

      "It doesn't matter." Kamui said. "They wanted my attention. And they got it. Whoever it was...I'm sure we'll meet face-to-face soon enough."

      Subaru was silent for a moment. 

      "Something else?" Kamui asked.

      "I was just thinking." Subaru said. "Why did you come back to Tokyo? Didn't you say that you would never come back here?"

      "I did." Kamui said. "And then a few weeks ago...I just...I felt drawn here. I can't explain it. I just knew I had to come back."

      Subaru nodded. 

      "What?" Kamui asked.

      "Nothing."

      "You know something." Kamui insisted. "What is it?"

      "I don't want to go spouting off theories until I know more." Subaru said. 

      "But you do have theories."

      "I have...suspicions."

      "Fine." Kamui stood up, reaching into his pocket for his wallet.

      "Don't worry about that." Subaru waved him off. "I'll take care of it."

      "Thanks." Kamui returned his wallet to his pocket and turned to leave.

      "Where can I find you?" Subaru called after him. Kamui turned again. "Once I know more." Subaru continued. "Where will you be?"

      Kamui thought for a moment. "I'll probably end up staying at the school." He finally said.

      "All right. I'll look for you there as soon as I find out more."

      Without another word, Kamui nodded and left the restaurant.

*   *   *   *   *

      An hour later, Kamui found himself standing before a tiny, one-story brick house. The address in the Tokyo phone directory had brought him here. Now only one question remained: Did he have the guts to cross the yard and ring the bell? 

      Would they even want to see him? He had cut himself out of their lives and they had gone on without him. And it looked like they were happy. For God's sake, they even had a white picket fence! Did he really want to screw it all up for them?

      Finally, Kamui plucked up his courage and made his way up the narrow sidewalk to the front door. He pressed the button for the doorbell, part of him praying that he would find it broken. A soft ring sounded from within the house. Before Kamui could decide to make a quick exit, the door opened.

      "Yes? What can I...?" Arashi fell silent when she saw him. "...Kamui?" She didn't wait for a reply; she threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly.

      "Arashi?" Sorata's voice drifted down the hall. "Who was at the..." Arashi stepped aside, revealing Kamui. "...door?" Sorata finished quietly. He rushed forward, arms outstretched.

      "Woah, WOAH! SORA!" Kamui held up a warning hand.

      Sorata stopped in his tracks. "Right. Sorry." He held out a hand, which Kamui took. Grasping his hand firmly to prevent escape, Sorata pulled Kamui into a hug, even as the smaller man struggled. "Sorry." He said again after releasing Kamui. "Couldn't resist."

      "Uh huh." Kamui nodded, straightening his uniform.

      "Well...Come in. Come in." Sorata said.

      "I...don't want to intrude."

      "Kamui, you got our address. You came over here." Arashi said softly. "You might as well come inside."

      "Oh...my...God." A new voice came from behind Kamui. He turned and was nearly knocked off his feet as Yuzuriha Nekoi grabbed him in the third bear hug he had received in as many minutes.

*   *   *   *   *

      "So where have you been all this time?" Yuzuriha asked. They had gathered in Sorata and Arashi's living room. Outside, snow had begun falling again.

      "Kyoto." Kamui said.

      "Really?" Yuzuriha asked. "Cool. I've always wanted to visit Kyoto."

      "What brings you back to Tokyo, Kamui?" Arashi asked.

      "I wish I knew." Kamui admitted. "It was just a feeling I got, that I had to come back."

      "That's weird." Sorata said.

      "Yeah, I thought so." Kamui replied. 

      "Well you don't think there's anything dangerous going on, do you?" Yuzuriha asked.

      Kamui shrugged. "I don't know."

      "Well aren't you worried?"

      "I don't know."

      "You don't know if you're worried?"

      "Yuzuriha, I don't know that there's anything to be worried about." Kamui said. "Until I see some sign of a threat, I don't see the point in getting upset about it."

      "I guess..." Yuzuriha conceded. "Still weird though."

      "Well Kamui's a weird guy." Sorata said jokingly.

      "No, that's not what I meant." Yuzuriha said. "It's just... Oh I might as well say it. I had a dream the night before last that you were coming back and..."

      "What?" Arashi bolted to her feet. "You saw Kamui?"

      "Uh...yeah."

      "Two nights ago?"

      "Yeah." Yuzuriha said. "I dreamed that he came to visit me."

      "What does it mean?" Arashi said, more to Sorata than anyone else.

      "Um...I wasn't sure it meant anything." The younger woman said, more than a little confused by Arashi's strange behavior.

      "What's wrong?" Kamui asked. "Come on; tell me."

      Arashi sighed heavily, and told him.

*   *   *   *   *

      "This is getting really strange." Kamui said quietly.

      Sorata nodded. "I'll second that."

"And once again I ask, what does it all mean?" Yuzuriha asked. A collective shrug greeted her.

      "Maybe there's nothing going on." Sorata said hopefully. "I mean, it could be just coincidence."

      "No." Kamui said. "Something big is happening."

      "How can you be so sure?" Yuzuriha asked.

      "I ran into Subaru earlier today." Kamui replied. "He knew I was coming back too."

      "Damn! Am I the only one who wasn't in on this?" Sorata wondered aloud. 

      "There was something else." Kamui continued. "He wouldn't tell me, but I think he knows what's going on."

      "So what do we do now?" Yuzuriha asked.

      "We wait until he decides to tell me." Kamui replied. "Or I find out on my own."

      "That's it?" 

      Kamui nodded. "That's all I can do. Short of beating the truth out of Subaru, and I think that would be a _little_ rash."

      His three companions sat in silence, a single thought running through all of their minds. _Did Kamui just make a joke?_

*   *   *   *   *

      "You're lucky." Yuzuriha said as she led Kamui through the College Level dorms of the Clamp Academy. "There are barely any empty rooms this year. You got the last one actually."

      She unlocked the last door in the hall and handed the key to Kamui along with a handwritten note. 

      "I'm in the women's dorms." She said. "Over in the opposite wing. Here's my phone number in case you need anything. Or...you know...if you just want to talk."

      "I think I'll just sleep for now." Kamui said.

      Yuzuriha smiled. "Fair enough. We can talk later. It's good to have you back Kamui." She turned and headed back toward her own dorm. Halfway down the corridor, she stopped and turned back toward him. "Come on, Inuki!" 

      The wolf-spirit had been staring intently at Kamui, now he obediently turned to follow his mistress.

      "Yuzuriha!" Kamui called after her. She turned again. "It's...good...to be back."

      She smiled and shook her head. She could guess how good being back in Tokyo was for Kamui "One more time, with even less sincerity."

      "All right..." Kamui admitted. "It's not. But...it is good to see you all again."

      He retreated into his room, shutting the door before Yuzuriha could reply. She stood in the silent hallway for a minute. Anyone else might have been insulted by Kamui's behavior. But knowing him the way she did, she realized how hard it had been for him to say even that. She smiled wistfully.

      "Welcome home, Kamui. It _is_ good to have you back."

*   *   *   *   *

TBC


End file.
